Over 100 firefighters, from 15 departments, battled a four-alarm blaze Monday, at J&K Salvage in Spring Garden Township.
Around 1pm, an off-duty York City firefighter was riding his bike on the rail trail, and noticed the J&K Salvage employees making an unsuccessful attempt to extinguish a vehicle on fire. He reported the fire, but before the first due companies could lay 1200 feet of supply line to the nearest hydrant, the fire spread to one of the three-story scrap piles, and was quickly burning out of control.
High quantities of tires, petroleum, plastics, and other combustibles fueled the 50-foot-high flames, and the second, third, and fourth alarms were dispatched.
Smoke could be seen from as far as Strinestown and the Maryland line.
Residents living within a mile of the fire were advised to stay indoors.
More than 6,000 gallons of water per minute and Class A foam were dumped onto the fire late into the evening. Most equipment was released around 10pm, but some remained on the scene until early Tuesday morning, and returned several times during the day to hit hot spots.
The fire was officially declared out around 2pm on Tuesday, more than 24 hours after it started.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
